bạn bao nhiêu tuổi?
The English phrase "how old are you?" is translated into Vietnamese as bạn bao nhiêu tuổi?
This phrase is used to ask someone about their age.
What does it mean word for word?
The part bao nhiêu literally means "how many" or "how much", and the word tuổi refers to one's age in years.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase, tuổi is used to denote age in years.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget that bao nhiêu is used for countable quantities like age, whereas mấy is used for smaller numbers, though bao nhiêu is always safe for age.
When do people say it?
In Vietnamese, instead of using the neutral bạn (friend), you must replace it with a kinship pronoun based on the person's perceived age relative to you to be polite. For example, when asking someone younger than you, you would say Em bao nhiêu tuổi?
Did you know?
- Because Vietnamese age is often calculated by the lunar calendar, a person might be considered a year older than their Western birthday would suggest.
- In Vietnamese culture, asking bao nhiêu tuổi? is often a prerequisite for a conversation rather than a personal intrusion. It allows speakers to determine the correct kinship pronoun to use, ensuring they address the other person with the proper level of respect.
- Depending on the context, the word bạn can come from two different Chinese characters: one meaning 'companion' and another meaning 'rebel'. While the 'companion' meaning is used in this phrase, the word's history is quite diverse.
Examples in context
- Cho hỏi bạn bao nhiêu tuổi?May I ask how old you are?
Example conversation
Hùng and Chi are meeting for the first time at a party.
- HùngChào Chi, bạn bao nhiêu tuổi?Hi Chi, how old are you?
- ChiMình mười tám tuổi.I am eighteen years old.
- HùngỒ, mình cũng mười tám tuổi.Oh, I am also eighteen years old.
- ChiThật tuyệt, chúng ta bằng tuổi!That's great, we are the same age!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bao, bạn, nhiêu, tuổi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
